How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams

The sleuthing is lightweight in this seventh Ellie Haskell story (following How to Murder Your Mother-in-Law), but Cannell's energetic style, loquacious storytelling and subtle humor are firmly in place. After the death of the local librarian in Chitterdon Fells, the recently married milkman adopts her rambunctious dog and the Library League decides to place a bust of the deceased woman in the library. Ellie, who has just hired an au pair for her twins, agrees to contact romance paperback model Karisma to ask if he will appear in a fundraising event. Karisma consents, but, before he arrives, the portly milkman meets an undignified end, suffering a heart attack while trying to wrestle a piece of steak from his new dog. Then, in an apparent accident, Karisma meets his maker in the library. Ellie doubts that the rash of deaths in her small community is just bad luck and, setting her mind to it, finds no shortage of murder suspects. While readers will relish Cannell's witty intelligence, some may wish that this tale, with no clear murder until near the end and little active detection, placed more emphasis on its mystery elements. (Sept.)